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Do not rebuild an idolatrous city that has been burned

The Literal Commandment

Then you shall gather all its booty into the middle of its open square and burn the city and all its booty with fire as a whole burnt offering to the LORD your God; and it shall be a ruin forever. It shall never be rebuilt. (Deuteronomy 13:16)

The literal commandment is that we should never rebuild a city that was burned because it turned to idol worship.

Messiah Says

Messiah implicitly affirmed this commandment when He spoke about the Law:

"Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:17-19)

Pictures of Messiah

Messiah declares "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." (John 14:6)

When we are commanded not to participate in idolatry it is because such a pursuit would be fruitless and turn us towards falsehood and away from the G-d who is the Truth.

Idols are nothing. Scripture describes idols in this way:

Thus says the LORD, "Do not learn the way of the nations, And do not be terrified by the signs of the heavens Although the nations are terrified by them; For the customs of the peoples are delusion; Because it is wood cut from the forest, The work of the hands of a craftsman with a cutting tool. They decorate it with silver and with gold; They fasten it with nails and with hammers So that it will not totter. Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field are they, And they cannot speak; They must be carried, Because they cannot walk! Do not fear them, For they can do no harm, Nor can they do any good." (Jeremiah 10:2-5)

If anyone would turn to idolatry then they are denying the truth of G-d's Word and Who He declares Himself to be.

These commandments prohibiting idolatry picture Messiah by pointing to idols and telling us He is not like them.

How Messiah Fulfilled

Messiah fulfilled this commandment by not rebuilding any city that had been burned because it turned to idol worship.

Traditional Observance

The Talmud (tractate Sanhedrin) teaches that the remains of the burned city could be converted into gardens or orchards but not homes.

Other Notes

We are able to fulfill this commandment today and (should a city be burned because it turned to idolatry) we are able to refrain from rebuilding it.

Although writings of the prophets of Israel are replete with stories of idolatry, we are unaware of any Israelite city that was actually burned as a consequence of idolatry as required by a previous commandment.

EnglishNothing from that which is put under the ban shall cling to your hand, in order that the LORD may turn from His burning anger and show mercy to you, and have compassion on you and make you increase, just as He has sworn to your fathers,